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About the University of Michigan Energy Institute

Our Mission

The demand for economically and environmentally sound energy solutions is urgent and global. At the Energy Institute, we build on the University of Michigan’s strong energy research heritage at the heart of the nation’s automotive and manufacturing industries to develop and integrate science, technology and policy solutions to pressing energy challenges.

At the University of Michigan Energy Institute, we:

Push energy discoveries.

Energy solutions are a problem more complex than any one discipline. From biofuel research to policy development to green building, the University of Michigan is home to over a hundred energy faculty affiliates- leading thinkers and researchers in energy-related fields. See our full list of faculty affiliates here. Explore our research foci here.

Grow partnerships.

Academics don’t always have all the answers, but we do boast many resources not available to industry and government. Bringing industry, government and academia together through collaborative research projects ensures more interdisciplinary, more important research and better funding opportunities. See a full list of UMEI partner projects here.

Shape the conversation.

The Energy Institute convenes and participates in a wide array of public events, expert panels, and academic exercises aimed at clarifying both the promise and complexity of the global energy landscape. The Institute helps support grants and student-led energy initiatives for both aspiring and current energy researchers. Visit our News and Events page here.

Our History

The University of Michigan Energy Institute extends a rich tradition of energy research at U-M. Established in 2006, it builds on the legacy of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project. The Phoenix Project was launched in 1948 to engage in research and other activities that support the peaceful uses of atomic energy as a “living memorial” for the members of the University of Michigan community who gave their lives in World War II. From 1957 until 2003, the Ford Nuclear Reactor served as the centerpiece of this initiative. Now in the final stage of decommissioning, the reactor building has been renovated to continue serving as the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Lab, where nuclear and other interdisciplinary energy research takes place, and as the headquarters of the Energy Institute. To learn more about the Phoenix Project's history, click here.

Featured Faculty Profile

Professor Resnick’s research focuses on SocioTechnical Capital, productive social relations that are enabled by the ongoing use of information and communication technology. His current projects include analyzing and designing reputation systems, ride share coordination services, and applying principles from economics and social psychology to the design of online communities.